() is a municipality in Iceland. The Municipality of Fljótsdalur in the Fljótsdalur valley covers more than , extending from the glacier Vatnajökull in the south to in the north the Lagarfljót river with the large Hengifoss waterfall. The Fljótsdalur valley is divided into the South valley and the North valley at the central peak of Múli. A large area of land of the highland plateau in the municipality of Fljótsdalur is part of the Vatnajökull National Park, which encompasses spectacular natural resources and is important in Icelandic cultural history.
Snæfell, the highest mountain in Iceland that is not part of a glacier at , is one of the principal landmarks of the area. Nearly of the municipality of Fljótsdalur is covered by forest, which means that below forests and forestry areas account for nearly 18% of the surface area of the municipality. The lowland area, called Fljótsdalsgrundin, is characterised by arable and high-yielding meadows and fields. Hengifoss, the third highest waterfall in Iceland, at , is located in Hengifossá in Fljótsdalshreppur.
The population of the municipality is about 100 and it is currently without a population centre, although there are plans to develop one. Other than farming the major work locations are the Kárahnjúkar Hydropower Plant, the Vatnajökull National Park Snæfell visitor centre, Gunnarsstofnun and Klausturkaffi at the Skriðuklaustur cultural center, a guest house at Hengifoss, Skógarafurðir saw mill and The Wilderness Center in Norðurdalur, in addition to the municipal office at Végarður.
Defining characteristics
Sustainable use of resources For centuries, sheep farming has been done on nearly all the farms in Fljótsdalur. The land is fertile and vegetation is spreading widely. The valley has fields with natural irrigation and arable lowlands. Revegetation and cultivation efforts have yielded visible results. Agroforestry in Iceland began with the Fljótsdal plan in 1970. As a consequence, the valley is abundant with forests that are used for various forestry products such as panelling, parquet and fenceposts, in addition to which there is a considerable production of Christmas trees. Timber that is left over from forestry operations is also used as fuel to heat houses. Through modern and environmentally friendly technological solutions, lakes and rivers have been harnessed to produce electricity through hydropower. Reindeer are hunted in a sustainable and organised manner.
Unique nature Fljótsdalur has unique and beautiful natural surroundings and is visited by a large number of tourists each year. The climate is known far and wide to be pleasant, with warm summers and winters with low precipitation. There are good conditions for farming, especially sheep farming. The local bird life is highly varied, with 50 species of birds having been spotted at Snæfell. The Eyjabakkar area above Fljótsdalur is specifically protected in accordance with the RAMSAR Convention. This protection is due to the international importance of naturally irrigated fields, as the area is one of the largest wetlands in the highlands of Iceland, and a major natural sanctuary for pink-footed geese that lay thousands of eggs in the Snæfell wilderness. The highlands of Fljótsdalur has vegetation that reaches up to about 600 m above sea level, which can also be considered unique. The Vatnajökull National Park, which includes part of the municipality of Fljótsdalur, is on the UNESCO cultural heritage list and one of the largest national parks in Western Europe. The principal habitat and migration routes of the reindeer population in Iceland are within the boundaries of the municipality of Fljótsdalur. What mostly attracts tourists to the area are the natural marvels Strútsfoss, Kirkjufoss and last but not least Snæfell. The wild birch forests Kleifarskógur and Ranaskógur are quite exceptional and among the vegetation is northern bedstraw, which is the signature plant of Fljótsdalur. Fljótsdalur has blue bells, viola tricolor, mountain flax, common witlow grass, woodland geranium and rock bramble in more abundance than other areas of East Iceland.
Architecture There are few other places in rural Iceland with architecture of such interesting and often avantgarde nature. Most famous is Gunnarshús at Skriðuklaustur, the design of which is inspired by the work of German architect Fritz Höger. Skriðuklaustur is also the site of the ruins of a monastery of the order of Saint Augustine from the 16th century. Not only can the remains be viewed but the experience has been enhanced by providing digital technical solutions and virtual reality to achieve the vision of a "museum without walls". Snæfellsstofa, the Vatnajökull National Park visitor centre, is designed by the architectural firm ARKÍS and was the first new building in Iceland to receive both design compliance and completion certification according to the British environmental certification system BREEAM in 2016.
Under construction is a service building at Hengifoss, selected in a public design contest. The building is designed by the Norwegian architect Eirik Rönning Andersen, and has a clear reference to the local topography so it will fit well in with its nearby environment. Also worthy of note is the social centre Végarður, which was designed by architect Gísli Halldórsson, as well as Fljótsdalsstöð, designed by the architectural firm OG and realised in cooperation with Verkís and Landmark, in addition to a large number of buildings the origins of which can be traced to the rural architecture archives of the Agricultural design office. The farmyard at Langhús has unique buildings made of turf and rock and the reconstruction efforts of the Wilderness Center evoke times long past.
The Valþjófsstaður door is a national treasure, originally from a stave church that used to stand in the valley, and a replica of it is installed in the church at Valþjófsstaður.
Residential housing The municipality of Fljótsdalur has a general plan that is in effect until 2030. According to that general plan as many as three residential buildings may be built on each parcel of land without a specific plan being required. In 2020 the municipality made an agreement with TGJ design, consultancy and research firm on finding a site for an attractive, unique and ecofriendly residential area that does not clash with the surrounding landscape, in a naturally secure location and that will be accessible and suitable for the expanding economic activities in the valley. The location of this residential area should also be selected based on environmental psychology, so that the layout will maximise the wellbeing and positive experience of residents and visitors. It is also emphasised in the current general plan that all special planning will contribute to better shaping of the environment, such as regarding size, form, material, look and color choice where new buildings are concerned. A site has been selected for the residential area on the land of Hjarðarból, and special planning and consequent alterations to the general plan are being worked out.
Utilities
Electricity production The Kárahnjúkar Hydropower Plant in Fljótsdalur is the largest power plant in Iceland. It has 690 MW of installed power and can generate 4,800 gigawatt hours of electricity per year. The station is located about inside the mountain Valþjófsstaðarfjall with about a hydraulic head. From Hálslón, the main reservoir, the water runs about through headrace canals to the plant. Two smaller reservoirs use water from the river Jökulsá í Fljótsdal and the lakes Ufsarlón and Kelduárlón, from which the water runs through underground tunnels and is joined with water from Hálslón in one headrace canal that leads to the plant with a total hydraulic head of about . The water powers six turbines and then runs through a canal into Jökulsá river in Fljótsdalur close to Valþjófsstaður. The main part of the energy goes from the plant over Hallormsstaðaháls to the aluminium smelter Alcoa Fjarðaál at Reyðarfjörður. A new power transmission line, called Kröflulína 3, now connects the three plants Þeistareykjavirkjun, Kröfluvirkjun and Fljótsdalur stabilising the electricity transmission system, and helping assure supply. There is thus mains electrical supply throughout Fljótsdalur although a few farms have 620 kV small plants with potential for expanding them. For example, small hydroelectic plants using new technology that is suitable for rivers with high flow rates may be possible.
Waste management Households that pay the local tipping fee sort their waste into general, recyclable and organic waste. Organic waste is not collected, households are provided with special bins for such waste. Other waste is collected and either deposited in approved landfill sites or recycled. Commercial waste is not entirely managed within the Municipality but rather the companies have commercial contracts regarding containers and the emptying of them. There is a waste container area near Végarður where the municipality has rented skips for iron, timber, general/ unsortable waste and hazardous waste (batteries). The municipality has also offered farmers the option to temporarily use skips for iron and timber if they are engaging in specific projects. There are septic tanks at all farmhouses and companies. An officially approved collection pit for sludge is located below Valþjófsstaður.
Water utilities Most farmlands in Fljótsdalur have their own water supply, and there are only five registered water utilities. Two are used by the National Power Company, i.e. at Fljótsdalsstöð and at Ufsarlón. There is one utility at Skriðuklaustur, which serves a number of places between Skriðuklaustur and Végarður. In addition, there is a water utility at Laugarfell and further down the road at Hengifossárgil.
Telecommunications Telecommunications transmitters for television and radio transmissions, and repeaters for mobile phones are located at various sites in the Municipality and there is a fiber optic network connecting to all farmhouses. Many places have a 3G and 4G connection. The installation of telecommunications systems underground alongside roads and paths is permitted.
Heating Fljótsdalur has no central heating plant but there are warm water sources. At Laugarfell there is a geothermal source that is used to heat the housing and natural pools. Close to the Wilderness Center is a thermal spring which is connected to a heat pump that supplies heat for a hot tub and other uses. Further research into geothermal sources is planned. There is a wood fueled heating plant at Végarður and in a few places, wood is used as fuel for heating houses where wood from forestry pruning allows high temperature burning.
Environment and resources
Climate Fljótsdalur is known for its gentle weather, characterized by low winds in a generally dry and warm climate. The direction in which the winds blow in influenced by the topography. In Fljótsdalur, south western winds prevail. Vatnajökull and the highlands of the Eastern Fjords shields the area from southern and south eastern winds. The average temperature for the year 2020 at Hallormsstaður was 4.1 °C and the average summer temperature (from June to September) was 9.5 °C. The total precipitation that same year was 982.4 mm, and on average it rains much less in the valley Fljótsdalur than outside it. The lowlands get little snow in the winters, but droughts can be detrimental for vegetation, especially in early summer.
Geography and geology